1 Chronicles 17:27

Translation
King James Version
Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Now therefore let it please H2974 thee to bless H1288 the house H1004 of thy servant H5650, that it may be before H6440 thee for ever H5769: for thou blessest H1288, O LORD H3068, and it shall be blessed H1288 for ever H5769.
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Complete Jewish Bible
and now it has pleased you to bless the family of your servant and thereby cause it to continue forever in your presence. For you, ADONAI, have blessed, and it is blessed forever."
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Berean Standard Bible
So now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”
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American Standard Version
and now it hath pleased thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Jehovah, hast blessed, and it is blessed for ever.
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World English Bible Messianic
Now it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, LORD, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Now therfore, it hath pleased thee to blesse the house of thy seruant, that it may bee before thee for euer: for thou, O Lord, hast blessed it, and it shalbe blessed for euer.
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Young's Literal Translation
and now, Thou hast been pleased to bless the house of Thy servant, to be to the age before Thee; for Thou, O Jehovah, hast blessed, and it is blessed to the age.'
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See also
Ephesians 1:3Romans 11:29Psalms 72:17Genesis 27:33
In the KJVVerse 10,891 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

1 Chronicles 17:27 serves as the powerful culmination of King David's prayer of thanksgiving, offered in humble and awe-filled response to the magnificent covenant promise delivered by God through the prophet Nathan. This verse encapsulates David's unwavering confidence in God's absolute sovereignty and unchangeable faithfulness, appealing to the divine character as the ultimate guarantor of the eternal dynasty God has promised him. It stands as a profound affirmation that what God blesses, He blesses irrevocably and perpetually, securing David's house "for ever" through His own inherent power and unwavering word.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse provides the climactic conclusion to David's extended prayer of thanksgiving found in 1 Chronicles 17. The chapter opens with David's heartfelt, yet human-centric, desire to construct a permanent temple for the Lord. However, through the prophet Nathan, God dramatically reorients David's perspective by revealing His own counter-plan: God, not David, will build a "house" (dynasty) for David, establishing an enduring kingdom, a successor who will build the temple, and a throne that will be established "for ever" (1 Chronicles 17:11-14). Overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of this undeserved grace and the faithfulness of God, David enters the Lord's presence to offer a prayer of profound humility, gratitude, and confident affirmation. This concluding verse is not a desperate plea but an earnest and confident appeal for God to confirm what He has already promised, grounded in the immutable nature of God's word. The Chronicler's strategic placement of this prayer immediately following the covenant emphasizes David's exemplary and appropriate response to divine revelation.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, the stability, longevity, and prosperity of a king's dynasty were paramount, often viewed as direct indicators of divine favor and legitimacy. Kings frequently sought to solidify their legacy through monumental building projects, including temples dedicated to their deities. David's initial ambition to build a temple for God was thus a culturally understandable and pious aspiration for a powerful monarch. However, God's surprising reversal—promising to build David's "house" (dynasty) instead—subverts typical human expectations and powerfully underscores divine initiative and sovereignty. While other regional powers might aspire to "eternal" kingdoms, only the God of Israel could genuinely guarantee such permanence. The Chronicler, writing for a post-exilic community grappling with the apparent dissolution of the Davidic monarchy, meticulously emphasizes the enduring nature of the Davidic covenant. This focus served to offer profound hope and continuity, reminding them that God's promises, even when seemingly delayed or disrupted by historical catastrophes like the exile, remain eternally valid. This unwavering emphasis on the "house" of David was absolutely crucial for sustaining the messianic hope within the returning community, pointing towards a future restoration and a king from David's line.
  • Key Themes: This verse profoundly contributes to several major theological themes woven throughout 1 Chronicles. Firstly, it highlights God's Unquestionable Sovereignty and Power to Bless. David's declarative statement, "for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever," underscores a fundamental truth: God's blessing is not a conditional or temporary bestowal but an absolute, effective, and eternal act. What God initiates and blesses remains blessed, independent of human merit, changing circumstances, or the passage of time. Secondly, Divine Faithfulness is central. David is not asking God to begin blessing, but to continue and confirm His promised blessing, fully confident that God is true to His word and unchanging character. This resonates with the broader biblical truth of God's immutability, as articulated in passages like Malachi 3:6. Thirdly, the repeated emphasis on "for ever" highlights the Eternal Nature of the Covenant concerning David's "house" or dynasty. This covenant, with its promise of an unending kingdom, ultimately points to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would descend from David and whose kingdom would truly be everlasting, as prophesied in Luke 1:32-33. Finally, the verse powerfully demonstrates Confidence in Prayer. David's prayer is not a desperate plea stemming from doubt, but a confident affirmation of God's power and willingness to fulfill His own declared intentions, acknowledging God's sovereign will with the phrase "let it please thee."

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • House (Hebrew, bayith, H1004): This term primarily refers to a physical dwelling, but its rich semantic range extends to encompass a family, lineage, or dynasty. In this context, as throughout the Davidic Covenant, "house" specifically denotes David's royal succession and the enduring line of his descendants who would occupy the throne. David's desire was to build a physical "house" (temple) for God, but God promised to build an eternal "house" (dynasty) for David, highlighting the divine initiative in establishing the royal line.
  • Bless (Hebrew, bârak, H1288): This primitive root signifies "to kneel," and by implication, "to bless." When God blesses, it is an act of inherent divine power that bestows favor, prosperity, and well-being, bringing about the desired effect. It is not merely a verbal declaration but an effective act of grace that confers life, fruitfulness, and permanence. In this verse, God's blessing on David's house implies divine sanction, protection, and the guarantee of its enduring existence and success.
  • For ever (Hebrew, ‘ôwlâm, H5769): This term denotes eternity, perpetuity, or a very long, indefinite period. In the context of divine promises and covenants, especially concerning God's actions, it carries the weight of absolute, unending duration. Its emphatic threefold repetition within this single verse ("for ever" appears three times) powerfully underscores the absolute and irreversible permanence of God's blessing on David's dynasty, signaling an eternal covenant that transcends all human limitations and historical contingencies.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant": This opening phrase is a humble, reverent, and deeply theological petition. "Now therefore" serves as a direct logical connector, linking David's prayer to God's preceding covenant promise. The phrase "let it please thee" acknowledges God's sovereign will and initiative, demonstrating David's submission and trust rather than a demanding posture. David asks God to confirm and establish the "house" (dynasty) that God has already promised to build for him, recognizing that its permanence and prosperity depend entirely on God's ongoing favor and omnipotent power.
  • "that it may be before thee for ever": This clause articulates the desired outcome and ultimate purpose of God's blessing: the perpetual existence of David's dynasty in God's immediate presence and under His divine oversight. "Before thee" implies divine watchfulness, protection, and continuous approval. The phrase "for ever" reiterates and underscores the eternal nature of the promised dynasty, aligning perfectly with God's earlier declaration that David's throne would be established "for ever" (1 Chronicles 17:14).
  • "for thou blessest, O LORD, and [it shall be] blessed for ever": This is the profound theological bedrock of David's confidence and the driving force behind his prayer. The initial "for" introduces the foundational reason or ground for David's petition. David is not asking God to do something new or uncertain, but rather to act consistently with His own inherent character and power. The declarative statement "thou blessest, O LORD" is a powerful affirmation of God's intrinsic nature as the sole and ultimate source of all true blessing. The subsequent consequence, "and [it shall be] blessed for ever," is a statement of absolute certainty and divine guarantee. God's blessing is not a temporary bestowal but an eternal reality; once God blesses, that blessing is permanent, irreversible, and perpetually sustained. The passive voice "it shall be blessed" further highlights that the permanence of the blessing is entirely due to God's active, enduring, and sovereign will, independent of human effort.

Literary Devices

The verse employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound theological message. Repetition is prominently used with the phrase "for ever," appearing three times within this single verse. This emphatic repetition serves to underscore the absolute and unending permanence of God's covenant and blessing, leaving no doubt about its eternal nature and divine guarantee. There is also a clear Parallelism in the structure "thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever." This functions as a powerful cause-and-effect statement, highlighting the direct and inevitable consequence of God's divine action. God's act of blessing (the cause) directly results in an eternal state of blessedness (the effect). The overall tone is one of Prayer as Affirmation, where David's petition is not a plea born of doubt or a desperate attempt to sway God, but rather an expression of confident faith. His prayer echoes back God's own words and rests securely on His unchangeable character, demonstrating a deep theological understanding of God's sovereignty, where human prayer aligns with and confirms divine purpose.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

1 Chronicles 17:27 stands as a powerful testament to the unshakeable nature of God's covenant faithfulness and the inherent efficacy of His divine blessing. It underscores that God's promises are not contingent on human performance or fluctuating circumstances but are immutably grounded in His own eternal character and sovereign will. David's prayer, far from being a plea for God to change His mind, is a humble yet confident affirmation of what God has already declared. This foundational principle—that God's blessing, once bestowed, is inherently permanent—reverberates throughout the entirety of Scripture, providing a robust foundation for understanding divine election, the security of salvation, and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom. It teaches us that to be blessed by the Lord is to be eternally secured by His divine favor, a truth that offers immense comfort, unwavering assurance, and profound peace to all who trust in His unchanging word.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

This verse offers profound encouragement and a bedrock of assurance for believers today, reminding us of the unwavering nature of God's promises and the enduring, securing power of His blessing. Just as King David could confidently appeal to God's character, knowing that what God blesses remains blessed forever, so too can we approach God in prayer with absolute assurance and profound trust. Our confidence is not rooted in our own merit, worthiness, or ability to persuade God, but solely in His revealed character, His unchanging word, and His sovereign, benevolent will. This verse calls us to align our prayers with God's declared purposes, trusting implicitly that when He has spoken, His word carries inherent power and permanence, bringing about what He has promised. It invites us to rest securely in the blessings He has already bestowed and those He has promised, knowing that every good and perfect gift comes from Him and is sustained by His eternal faithfulness. Our hope for the future, both individually and corporately as the church, rests on the unshakeable truth that "thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever."

Questions for Reflection

  • How does David's confident prayer, rooted in God's character, challenge or affirm your own approach to prayer and trust in God's promises?
  • In what specific areas of your life do you need to remember that "what God blesses, it shall be blessed for ever," and how might that truth shape your perspective and actions?
  • Considering the "forever" nature of God's blessing on David's house, how does this verse speak to the enduring security of God's covenant with His people today, the church?
  • What does it truly mean for God to "please" to bless, and how does this concept influence your understanding of divine sovereignty and the effectiveness of human petition?

FAQ

Why does David ask God to bless his house if God had already promised to establish it forever?

Answer: David's prayer is not a plea born of doubt or an attempt to persuade God to do something He hasn't already committed to. Instead, it is a profound act of affirmation, worship, and humble acceptance of God's sovereign will. In ancient Near Eastern thought, and throughout Scripture, prayer often functions as a means by which humanity aligns itself with God's purposes and expresses profound faith in His promises. David is essentially saying, "Lord, you have promised this magnificent thing, and I know that because you are God, your word is absolutely sure and unbreakable. Therefore, I ask you to do what you have already declared you will do, for your blessing is eternal and irreversible." It demonstrates his complete trust in God's faithfulness and acknowledges that the fulfillment of the promise depends entirely on God's power and initiative, not on human effort. It is a model of prayer that echoes God's own heart and finds its confidence solely in His revealed character and unchangeable word, as seen in Numbers 23:19.

What is the significance of the repeated phrase "for ever" in this verse?

Answer: The threefold repetition of "for ever" (Hebrew: ‘ôwlâm) is a powerful literary and theological device that emphasizes the absolute and unending permanence of God's blessing and the Davidic covenant. It underscores that God's promises are not temporary, conditional, or subject to human failure or historical change. For the Chronicler's post-exilic audience, who had witnessed the apparent collapse and exile of the Davidic monarchy, this emphatic repetition of "for ever" was profoundly crucial. It served as a powerful reminder that despite the current challenging circumstances, God's covenant with David remained eternally valid and would ultimately be fulfilled in a way that transcended their immediate historical experience. This divine guarantee of perpetuity points beyond David's immediate lineage to a future, eternal kingdom, ultimately and perfectly fulfilled in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, as highlighted in prophecies such as Luke 1:33.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

1 Chronicles 17:27 finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "house" (dynasty) of David, which God promised to establish "for ever," culminates in Jesus, who is explicitly identified as the "Son of David" from the very beginning of the New Testament (Matthew 1:1). The angel Gabriel's prophecy to Mary directly echoes the Davidic covenant, stating that God "will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:32-33). Jesus is the true and eternal King, the rightful heir to David's throne, whose kingdom is not of this world but is everlasting and spiritual (John 18:36). Furthermore, the "blessing" that God bestows "for ever" is fully and perfectly realized in Christ. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross and His triumphant resurrection, Jesus secured eternal life and every spiritual blessing for all who believe and are united with Him (Ephesians 1:3). He is the ultimate "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29) through whom God's eternal covenant of grace is established, ensuring that all who are "in Christ" are eternally blessed and secured by the very power and faithfulness of God that David so confidently affirmed. Thus, David's confident declaration, "for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever," is a profound prophetic anticipation of the eternal and unbreakable blessing found in Christ's everlasting kingdom and His redemptive work.

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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 17 verses 16–27

We have here David's solemn address to God, in answer to the gracious message he had now received from him. By faith he receives the promises, embraces them, and is persuaded of them, as the patriarchs, Heb, Ch1 11:13. How humbly does he here abase himself, and acknowledge his own unworthiness! How highly does he advance the name of God and admire his condescending grace and favour! With what devout affections does he magnify the God of Israel and what a value has he for the Israel of God! With what assurance does he build upon the promise, and with what a lively faith does he put it in suit! What an example is this to us of humble, believing, fervent prayer! The Lord enable us all thus to seek him! These things were largely observed, 2 Sa. 7. We shall therefore here observe only those few expressions in which the prayer, as we find it here, differs from the record of it there, and has something added to it.

I. That which is there expressed by way of question (Is this the manner of men, O Lord God?) is here an acknowledgment: "Thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree. Thou hast made me a great man, and then treated me accordingly." God, by the covenant-relations into which he admits believers, the titles he gives them, the favours he bestows on them, and the preparations he has made for them, regards them according to the estate of men of high degree, though they are mean and vile. Having himself distinguished them, he treats them as persons of distinction, according to the quality he has been pleased to put upon them. Some give these words here another reading: "Thou hast looked upon me in the form of a man who art in the highest, the Lord God; or, Thou hast made me to see according to the form of a man the majesty of the Lord God." And so it points at the Messiah; for, as Abraham, so David, saw his day and was glad, saw it by faith, saw it in fashion as a man, the Word made flesh, and yet saw his glory as that of the only-begotten of the Father. And this was that which God spoke concerning his house for a great while to come, the foresight of which affected him more than any thing. And let it not be thought strange that David should speak so plainly of the two natures of Christ who in spirit called him Lord, though he knew he was to be his Son (Psa 110:1), and foresaw him lower than the angels for a little while, but afterwards crowned with glory and honour, Heb 2:6, Heb 2:7.

II. After the words What can David say more unto thee, it is here added, for the honour of they servant? Ch1 17:18. Note, The honour God puts upon his servants, by taking them into covenant and communion with himself, is so great that they need not, they cannot, desire to be more highly honoured. Were they to sit down and wish, they could not speak more for their own honour than the word of God has spoken.

III. It is very observable that what in Samuel is said to be for thy word's sake is here said to be for thy servant's sake, Ch1 17:19. Jesus Christ is both the Word of God (Rev 19:13) and the servant of God (Isa 42:1), and it is for his sake, upon the score of his meditation, that the promises are both made and made good to all believers; it is in him that they are yea and amen. For his sake is all kindness done, for his sake it is made known; to him we owe all this greatness and from him we are to expect all these great things; they are the unsearchable riches of Christ, which, if by faith we see in themselves and see in the hand of the Lord Jesus, we cannot but magnify as great things, the only true greatness, and speak honourably of accordingly.

IV. In Samuel, the Lord of hosts is said to be the God over Israel; here he is said to be the God of Israel, even a God to Israel, Ch1 17:24. His being the God of Israel bespeaks his having the name of their God and so calling himself; his being a God to Israel bespeaks his answering to the name, his filling up the relation, and doing all that to them which might be expected from him. There were those that were called gods of such and such nations, gods of Assyria and Egypt, gods of Hamad and Arpad; but they were no gods to them, for they stood them in no stead at all, were mere ciphers, nothing but a name. But the God of Israel is a God to Israel; all his attributes and perfections redound to their real benefit and advantage. Happy therefore, thrice happy, is the people whose God is Jehovah; for he will be a God to them, a God all-sufficient.

V. The closing words in Samuel are, With thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever. That is the language of a holy desire. But the closing words here are the language of a most holy faith: For thou blessest, O Lord! and it shall be blessed for ever, Ch1 17:27. 1. He was encouraged to beg a blessing because God had intimated to him that he had blessings in store for him and his family: "Thou blessest, O Lord! and therefore unto thee shall all flesh come for a blessing; unto thee do I come for the blessing promised to me." Promises are intended to direct and excite prayer. Has God said, I will bless? Let our hearts answer, Lord, bless me, 2. He was earnest for the blessing because he believed that those whom God blesses are truly and eternally blessed: Thou blessest, and it shall be blessed. Men can but beg the blessing; it is God that commands it. What he designs he effects; what he promises he performs; saying and doing are not two things with him. Nay, it shall be blessed for ever. His blessings shall not be revoked, cannot be opposed, and the benefits conferred by them are such as will survive time and days. David's prayer concludes as God's promise did (Ch1 17:14) with that which is for ever. God's word looks at things eternal, and so should our desires and hopes.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 16–27. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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